Trevor makes a frantic cutting motion with his hand.
“Tell me what’s going on,” I demand, leaving no room for argument.
Benji blows out a shaky breath that rattles across the phone. “I’m fine. I promise. Tell Trevor to chill. I just needed… I needed someone to know.”
“Know what?”
“That I’m in way over my head.”
Benji hangs up just as the sound of a guitar filters through the phone.
“What did he tell you,” I ask Trevor, handing him back his phone.
Trevor’s worried gaze flits from me to Beau, then back to me. “He just knew I had the most experience with Nolan. Wanted to fill me in on a situation.”
“And that situation is…” I trail off, rolling my hand to indicate he needs to spill the beans.
“Nolan has certain proclivities.”
I blink slowly. “I’m very aware.”
Trevor blinks back with an attitude. “Benji is just a little out of his depth. I think he should come home… to Clay Springs. He needs us. Nolan will just have to understand.”
The way Trevor speaks makes it clear that he’s done with the conversation. I don’t blame him. Trevor wanders over towards Beau to lean heavily against his side, needing the comfort of his boyfriend after the last few minutes. Beau smiles softly and presses a kiss to the top of Trevor’s head.
Something about Benji’s tone sets me on edge. After so many years around each other, it’s easy for us to read each other just by our tones. Trevor’s tone goes flat, devoid of all emotion when he’s worried or anxious. Eli gets this little divot between his brows that shows off his panic. Whereas Benji goes intoI’m going to fix everythingmode. I can’t worry about what I can’t control though. If Benji needs us, he knows where we are, and he’ll come to us. When he’s ready.
I return back outside to take my seat beside Harper. When he aims a questioning gaze towards me, I just slip my hand into his under the table, squeezing tight to reassure him all is fine. Because he’s perfect, because he’s mine, he takes it for what it is, not feeling the need to press me.
It ends up being the quietest New Year’s Eve of my life. No big party, nothing over the top. Just friends beside the ocean. Everyone is cuddled up in the living room as midnight approaches, but I have better plans.
“Hey, Harper?” I whisper against the shell of Harper’s ear.
Harper turns to me with a dramatic roll of his eyes. “Yes, Jackson?”
I wiggle my eyebrows at him. “Wanna start the new year in style?”
A few beats pass as Harper stares at me. “Are we going to play naked Twister?”
I dip my fingers into the neck of his sweater, trailing my fingers along the warm skin along the top of his spine. Because Harper’s perpetually a little shit, he shivers at my touch but does his best to stay cool, calm, and collected. But he’s a duck. Calm on the surface, paddling those little feet quickly beneath the still waters.
“I was thinking maybe we’d ring the New Year in with my face between your thighs.”
Splotches of crimson dot Harper’s checks, and he scowls. “My family is sitting right over there,” he hisses.
“They can’t hear me,” I reassure him because I checked that their attention was elsewhere. Embarrassing Harper is never in the cards with me.
“Well, you owe me now.”
I arch an eyebrow. “Oh, do I?”
He sniffs haughtily. “Yes.”
My eyes flit around the room, clocking the other occupants. Trevor and Beau sit at the kitchen table with a puzzle, close enough to be touching, but far enough apart to make their activity beyond innocent. Eli’s at the piano, Colby behind him teaching him to play the keys softly, twin grins on their faces. And outside in the dark night watching the waves are Joey and Lee, curiously Joey has a hand splayed over the small of Lee’s back. That’s interesting and new. I don’t have time to give a shit though.
I hurriedly stand from the sofa, grab Harper by the hips, and toss him over my shoulder in a fireman’s carry.
“Jackson!” Harper screeches, laughter clear in his voice.
